at all...
No darkness
Who has made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.- 1 Corinthians 3:6
Paul's Thorn in the flesh
A. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was
given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above
measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me,
My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will
I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am
weak, then am I strong. I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have
been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and
mighty deeds. For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was
not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you . . .
This is the third time I am coming to you. 2 Cor. 12:7-14; 13:1.
1. Satan brought Paul’s thorn in the flesh (v. 7).
2. The thorn kept Paul from being too exalted (v. 7).
3. Paul prayed three times for the thorn to depart (v. 8).
4. God’s answer to Paul was, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in
weakness.” (i.e. I’ve already given you the resources to deal with it. My ability begins where your
ability ends.)
5. Paul was about to visit the Corinthian church for the third time (v. 14; 2 Cor. 13:1).
6. The Corinthian church had repeatedly challenged Paul’s motives, standing and apostolic authority. (2
Cor. 10:1-2; 11:21-28; 12:11-15;13:3; 1 Cor. 3; 4:1-4; 9).
7. Perhaps this whole episode indicates that Paul’s messenger of Satan, his thorn in the flesh, consisted
of all the evil reports Paul continued to get from the Corinthian church regarding their carnality,
ingratitude and disobedience. Perhaps Paul struggled with their sinful defiance to the point where he
asked to the Lord to remove their burden from his ministry. God responded to Paul that His grace was
sufficient for Paul to stay connected to Corinth as an apostle, to clean out their sin stables, and in his
manly weakness Paul would be made perfect in Godly strength. What could be more difficult than
ministering to people who doubt your motives, standing and authority - - who seem to only be able to
know you after the flesh and not after the spirit?
B. Even if the above analysis is wrong and Paul’s thorn in the flesh was a continuing attack of some
kind of physical ailment, this passage can’t be used to claim such an attack is from God’s will.
1. Again, Paul said the source was Satan, not God (2 Cor. 12:7).
2. God’s response was not, “No, Paul, I won’t help you.” Rather, it was, “Paul, I’ve already given you
the grace to deal with it in my perfect strength. You need only receive it by acknowledging your
weakness in your own ability. As you embrace my ability by forsaking your own, then the perfect
power of the anointing will rest on you.” Whatever the thorn was, God knew that Paul wanted a quick
fix, as do we all, by seeking God to kiss the boo-boo to make it go away. But, God wanted a quality
deliverance (from Satan, man or sickness) that soaked down deep into Paul’s character. In fact, Paul
stated that Satan’s access to afflict him came from Paul being in danger of becoming “exalted above
measure” through the abundance of the [third heaven] revelations. And lest I should be exalted above
measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the
messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 2 Cor. 12:7. Again, this seems
to indicate an attack on Paul’s character rather than an attack on his body, but regardless, Paul wanted
to leave this battlefield behind. Whereas Paul was tired of this battle, God responded, “This is the
battlefield I have called you to. Keep fighting and you will prevail. You don’t need reinforcements. Just
use the resources I’ve already give you. Your character, fortitude and anointing will all greatly benefit.
And you will be a much better man for it because you know and depend on my spirit more than ever.”
3. In 2 Cor. 12:10, the word “infirmities” (Strong’s #s 769 and 770) means “weaknesses” and is used
primarily by Paul to refer to “natural limitations in man’s abilities.” (See Rom. 4:19; 6:19; 8:3, 26;
14:1-2; 1 Cor. 8:11-12; 2 Cor. 11:30; 12:5, 9, 10; 13:4; all these verses refer not to physical sicknesses,
but rather to weaknesses in man’s ability to accomplish the righteousness of God).
Where man’s abilities end is where God’s ability begins. As God is given free reign in our lives, He
then re-energizes and renews our natural ability with His supernatural ability. If Paul were referring to
physical sicknesses, it surely seems he would have mentioned them a chapter earlier in 2 Cor. 11:23-30
where he details what his “infirmities” were: Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am
more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of
the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned,
thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of
waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the
city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and
painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside
those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is
weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the
things which concern mine infirmities. 2 Cor. 11:23-30. On this list were labors, stripes, prisons, deaths
of those around us, beatings, stoning, shipwreck, perils of water, perils of robbers, perils by
countrymen, perils by heathen, perils in the city\wilderness\sea, perils by false brothers, weariness,
painfulness, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness and the care of all the churches. These “infirmities” weren’t
to be accepted as God’s will. Paul rejoiced in these infirmities not because they brought him continual
defeat in his ministry, but because He knew God’s power was free to be released in full measure to
bring victory. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Rom.
8:37. God supernaturally delivered Paul out of each of these trials, each in a different way, but all
bringing maximum impact of God’s glory in the situation. Paul’s suffering through these “infirmities”
always led to a supernatural release of God’s power to deliver Paul from Satan while at the same time
fully delivering the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul didn’t give in or give up because of these infirmities: he
resisted and resisted and resisted and resisted them with the power of God. He gloried in the affliction,
not because of it: “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning
you.” 1 Thes. 5:19. We are to give thanks not for everything (including afflictions) but in everything
(including afflictions). This is entirely consistent with James’ view: My brethren, count it all joy when
ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let
patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Jas. 1:2-4. It is also
consistent with Heb. 6:12: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and
patience inherit the promises. The Greek word “thlipsis” is translated in the New Testament as
“affliction,” but it literally means “pressure.” (Strong’s #2347). Satan’s pressure on our lives through
afflictions eventually renders our natural abilities useless. Satan seeks to destroy us in this state of
weakness by crippling our faith, hope and love.
But, God sees this state of weakness as a place of brokenness and trust where we can draw closer to
Him and receive a fuller measure of grace. (1 Pet. 1:13). This process works patience (joyful
endurance) in our character, so that we can rule and reign as champion sons of God. In our gritty and
gutty resistance to Satan’s pressure (persecution, temptation, sickness, oppression, depression, failure)
our character develops patience (joyful endurance) which when mixed with our faith releases
the anointing of power.4. But wasn’t Paul a martyr? God didn’t deliver him out of that affliction, did
he? Doesn’t that mean it’s good to die young? Why didn’t Psalm 91 work for Paul? All these questions
misunderstand what a true martyr is. A martyr is not someone whose life is taken from him. A
martyr is someone who voluntarily lays his\her life down by refusing to accept the Lord’s deliverance
in the situation because his\her death would have maximum impact at this point in time. Nobody took
Paul’s life without his consent. The Holy Spirit gave him plenty of advance notice of what dangers
awaited him at Jerusalem, yet Paul freely embraced the martyr’s death (Acts 21:10-14). And what shall
I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of
Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms,
wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire,
escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to
flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were
tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: Heb. 11:32-35.
Paul had the faith to be delivered out of any peril, but he chose to lay his life down for maximum
impact at the time of greatest exposure (as revealed to Paul by the Holy Spirit). Samson, for example,
laid his life down at the point of maximum impact where he could slay a stadium full of enemies. He
killed more enemies in his death than he killed his entire life (Jdg. 16:30). The Lord shows many of His
beloved sons the point in time when their sacrifice can cause the most damage to Satan and bring the
most glory to God. They then freely choose to lay their life down and obtain a better resurrection.
5. Consider Agnes Sanford’s view of Paul’s thorn in the flesh: “What about St. Paul and his thorn in the
flesh?’ St. Paul’s thorn in the flesh has become a veritable thorn in the spirit to thousands of Christians,
who take St. Paul as an example for cherishing illness. In this they are not consistent. If St. Paul were
really their example, they could raise the dead. For in seeing him as an example, of the invalid saint,
they do the utmost violence to the Biblical picture of a man strong enough to endure shipwreck and
exposure, stoning and imprisonment and still accomplish more than ten ordinary men could. Behold the
impressive roll-call of saints given in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. Is there a weakling among
them? Noah, who in his five hundredth year built an ‘ark’ the size of a modern cargo ship; Moses, who
at the age of one hundred and twenty stated that his eyes werenot dim nor his natural strength abated;
Elijah, who girded up his loins and outran the king’s chariot horses; David, who slew a lion and a bear
with his bare hands. There is no record in the whole Bible of a holy man who remained an invalid.
Stories of illnesses we find, but these stories are almost funny in the portrayal of a tremendous urge
toward health. The prostrated holy men were outraged at illness, regarding it as a sign of being cut off
from God’s love and cast out of His presence. From David (who made his couch to swim with his
tears) to Job (who sat upon a dung-heap and cried unto the Lord till he recovered) we find no instance
of an acceptance of illness as the will of God. . . .
St. Paul had been miraculously healed more than once. He had shaken off a deadly serpent and felt no
sting whatsoever from its bite. He had been stoned and left for dead, and had risen from under a pile
of stones and walked into the city. He had accomplished the most amazing of miracles, even the raising
of the dead. Yet, toward the end of his ministry, he was troubled by a ‘thorn in the flesh.’ He prayed
about this matter and God said to him, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect
in weakness.’He did not receive an instantaneous healing. Instead of that, he received every day enough
of the Grace of God for that day’s needs. So do I. And if God’s perfect strength accomplished through
me as much as it did through St. Paul, I would be well content.”
By Richard K Murray
